Resignation and appointment of bishop of La Crosse, U.S.A.
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Appointment of bishop of Apartadó, Colombia
Appointment of bishop of San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico
Appointment of bishop of Tocantinópolis, Brazil
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Brasília, Brazil
Resignation and appointment of bishop of La Crosse, U.S.A.
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of La Crosse, United States of America, presented by Bishop William P. Callahan, O.F.M. Conv.
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Gerard W. Battersby, until now titular bishop of Eguga and auxiliary of Detroit, as bishop of La Crosse, United States of America.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Gerard W. Battersby was born on 15 May 1960 in the archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wayne State University, he carried out his ecclesiastical studies at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
He was ordained a priest on 30 May 1998 for the archdiocese of Detroit.
After ordination, he first held the roles of parish vicar of Saint Thecla in Clinton Township (1998-2000) and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Detroit (2000-2001), and parish priest of Saint Christopher (2001-2007), Saint Leo (2007-2009) and Saint Mary’s of Redford in Detroit (2015-2016). After obtaining a licentiate in theology (2008), he went on to serve as director of formation (2007-2009) and vice rector (2011-2016) at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary of Detroit.
He was appointed titular bishop of Eguga and auxiliary of Detroit on 23 November 2016, and received episcopal consecration the following 25 January.
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Félicien Ntambue Kasembe, C.I.C.M., until now bishop of Kabinda and apostolic administrator of the archdiocese of Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese of Kananga.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Félicien Ntambue Kasembe, C.I.C.M., was born on 8 September 1970 in Kabinda. He entered the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, giving his perpetual vows in 1996.
He was ordained a priest on 21 August 2001.
After ordination, he first served as parish vicar in Kinshasa (2001-2003) and provincial secretary of the Scheut Missionaries (2003-2006). He was awarded a master’s degree in law in Leuven, Belgium (2007-2012), and went on to serve as provincial counsellor of the C.I.C.M. in Kinshasa (2013-2016), and general assistant of the C.I.C.M. Congregation (2017-2020).
He was elected bishop of Kabinda on 23 July 2020, and was consecrated the following 27 September. He was appointed apostolic administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of Kananga on 21 December 2022.
Appointment of bishop of Apartadó, Colombia
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Carlos Alberto Correa Martínez as bishop of Apartadó, Colombia, transferring him from the titular see of Severiana and from the office of apostolic Guapo, Colombia.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Carlos Alberto Correa Martínez was born in 17 July 1968 in Medellín, Colombia. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Seminario Misionero del Espíritu Santo, in La Ceja and obtained a licentiate in missionology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome.
He has held the following offices: parish priest of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, archdiocese of Portoviejo, Ecuador, parish vicar of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Guarne, missionary in the dioceses of Riohacha and Montería, episcopal delegate for missionary animation, coordinator and then director of the San Pablo Priestly Association and the San Pablo House of Formation, and professor and spiritual director of the Seminario Misionero del Espíritu Santo in La Ceja.
On 3 December 2013 he was appointed titular bishop of Severiana and apostolic vicar of Guapi, and received episcopal ordination the following 15 February.
Appointment of bishop of San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop José Leopoldo González González, until, now bishop of. Nogales, as bishop of San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop José Leopoldo González González was born in Canades, diocese of San Juan de los Lagos, on 7 February 1955. He was ordained a priest on 27 May 1984, for the archdiocese of Guadalajara. He holds a licentiate in moral theology.
He has held the following offices: pastoral services in the parish, university educational sphere and seminary, official of the then-Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in Rome (1993-2000), executive secretary of the Doctrinal Commission of the Mexican Episcopal Conference.
On 15 November 2005 he was appointed titular bishop of Thuburnica and auxiliary of Guadalajara, receiving episcopal ordination the following 25 January. Within the Episcopal Conference he was elected secretary general for the three-year term 2006-2009, and for two three-year terms (2012-2018), chair of the Commission for Social Pastoral Care. In the years 2009 to 2011 he was secretary general of CELAM. On 19 March 2015 he was appointed first bishop of the diocese of Nogales.
Appointment of bishop of Tocantinópolis, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Carlos Henrique Silva Oliveira, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Brasília, until now parish priest of Santo Cura D’Ars in Brasília-DF, as bishop of Tocantinópolis, Brazil.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Carlos Henrique Silva Oliveira was born on 13 August 1972 in Brasília-DF, in the archdiocese of the same name. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Nossa Senhora de Fátima Seminary in Brasília-DF, and attended the course in canon law in Goiânia-GO.
He received priestly ordination on 7 December 2002, and was incardinated in the archdiocese of Brasília.
He has held the following offices: parish administrator (2002-2004) and then parish priest (2004-2007) of Santíssima Trindade in Gama-DF, parish priest of Santo Inácio de Loyola (2010-2014) and São Pedro de Alcântara in Brasília-DF (2014-2022), coordinator of the Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons, episcopal vicar for Social Pastoral Care and Caritas, judge of the ecclesiastical tribunal, episcopal vicar of the Centre Vicariate, member of the Presbyteral Council. In addition, he served as a priest fidei donum in the diocese of Roraima-RR (2007-2010). From 2023 to date, he has been parish priest of Santo Cura D’Ars in Brasília-DF.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Brasília, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Vicente de Paula Tavares, of the clergy of Brasília, Brazil, parish priest of Imaculado Coração de Maria in Brasília-DF, as auxiliary bishop of the same metropolitan archdiocese, assigning him the titular see of Gergis.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Vicente de Paula Tavares was born on 21 January 1972 in João Pinheiro, diocese of Paracatu, in the State of Minas Gerais. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Nossa Senhora de Fátima Major Seminary in Brasília-DF (2000-2006).
He received priestly ordination on 9 December 2006, and was incardinated in the archdiocese of Brasília.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar and then parish priest of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in São Sebastião-DF (2007-2010, formator in the Archdiocesan Seminary of Goiânia (2011-2014), head of Vocational Pastoral Care and parish vicar of Nossa Senhora do Rosário (2015), parish priest of Sagrados Corações de Jesus e Maria in Brasília-DF (2016-2021), and member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors. Since 2022 he has served as parish priest of Imaculado Coração de Maria in Brasília-DF.
